The method and apparatus of the invention relates to the stamping or imprinting of multiple decorative impressions on a printable medium, and more particularly to such method and apparatus wherein multiple impressions are stamped or imprinted successively in registered alignment such that the successive imprints are in registration to form a desired imprint of a graphic image.
Existing multi-colored printing devices, either using stamps or plates, register one color to another by locking the stamp or plate in a registration device which can be adjusted to form successive colored imprints in registration with one another. Such devices are often complex and expensive because of the construction of the registration device to obtain the necessary registration for each of the individual, separate impressions with respect to one another.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 518,515, 548,226 and 581,525 disclose various hand printing devices using gauged typeguides for aligning or registering successive characters or symbols on a printing medium such as paper and are illustrative of the aforementioned known printing devices. Such hand printing apparatus rely on a gauged type-guide to obtain registration of each of the successive imprints with respect to one another such that the imprinted characters and/or symbols are in registered alignment.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,072, 3,227,079 and 3,282,209 each disclose multiple-sectioned stamp sections movable relative to one another for the purpose of producing independent sections of an overall design or decoration on a medium such as paper. Such stamping devices are rather complex and expensive, in part, because of the structure for mounting the independent printing sections to be movable to enable imprints that are registrable with respect to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 743,762 discloses a device for guiding ledger footings in the form of a hand stamp with a line-guide finger adapted to be aligned with the ruled lines of a ledger such that marks or letters can be imprinted thereon. However, such apparatus could not be used for multiple stamping to form a resultant coordinated imprint as the alignment is too inaccurate for registration of successively applied stampings to form a coordinated imprint.
There is thus a need to provide an imprinting device that is capable of producing successive imprints or stampings in registered alignment to form a coordinated graphic imprint and which is less complex and costly than the aforementioned stamping apparatus, and yet which is reliable and durable for repetitive usage.
Moreover, such need has been increased by the current fad in the graphic arts and crafts fields using rubber stamps of graphic images to decorate stationery, cards, wrapping paper, etc., with multi-color imprints.